Always a pleasure to listen to this. The generator will have to get up pretty early in the morning to find a better opener/closer combo than Five Years and Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide. And then there’s Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Starman… Let all the children boogie, I say.

There's something in the instrumentation that compliments the subject matter perfectly. That autoharp has a ghostly quality about it that makes me thing of old-timey soldiers trudging off to war, and rugged, wintry English countryside. Not every track is a galáctico (The Last Living Rose and On Battleship Hill are my favourites) but as a self-contained album it's more the sum of its parts. 4.5.

Will this be the album where I finally get the hype around The Rolling Stones...?? Nope. 18 tracks and none of them really excited me. Shine a Light at a push. It's all fine, if you fancy an hour of competent bluesy rock & roll, but 'competent' alone will only get you 2.5 stars, tops.

Enjoyed this more the second time after reading up a on a bit of context. Certain songs 'hit harder', as the kids says. I'm now willing to give this a hefty promotion to a 3.5. I reckon there's probably a better Neil Young album out there, though.

This is tricky, because I have huge respect for any band that can cram 28 tracks into 33 minutes. I'm also convinced that Napalm Death have absolutely nailed whatever the hell it was they were trying to achieve here. Plus, I had a smile on my face throughout most of it, *particularly* enjoying You Suffer. Would probably be a great live experience, until my eardrums exploded. But then again, there aren't really even any decent riffs. Ultimately, it's a 1.5, or '1' for short. If not now, when...?!

Turns out I never listened to this one all the way through before. It's very lo-fi! Can hear Nirvana and future Foos in different places. Particularly enjoyed the combo of Good Grief and Floaty in the middle. I'd rate it a 3.5 if I could but these are the greatest albums of ALL TIME were talking about so I'm marking harsh.

Bit hit and miss; weird mix of styles, covers etc. Jangly AF. Eight Miles High is still a tune and I do like What's Happening?

Tricky one to judge. As a live album I think it ticks most of the boxes (good musicianship, some tight segues between tracks, English rock band bantz) but the setlist is a little hit and miss for me (a lot of my favourite Who songs came later), and I have to be in the right mood to enjoy the extended classic rock jams. It's gonna have to be another 3.5. Which means another 3. Despite bonus points for Happy Jack.

Hadn't realised the second half was all instrumental. I dig it. I think I'd enjoy whatever imaginary film it's a soundtrack to. Also, Sound and Vision is one of my favourites and worth big points on its own. FOUR STARS.

Was I charmed by the old-timey crowd noise from intimate club setting and Sarah's ad-libbing on 'Willow Weep For Me'? Sure. Do I sometimes enjoy a bit of smooth jazz and pretend to be sophisticated? You betcha. Can I separate this album from all the other smooth jazz albums? And will I revisit it? Probably not, on both counts. My loss, I'm sure.

An enjoyable slice of sludge-rock. Parts of it sound like a QOTSA prototype (e.g. Mass Production), & also Bowie-esque, for obvious reasons. I like Iggy's voice and his lyrics, so lots of pros... but I don't think it veers into 'greatness' territory very often. Mainly just vibez. 3.5 or whatever.

Got a bit bored, especially in the second half, and some songs dragged a bit. To be fair, there are some good'uns, like Simple Man, and if this album came on while I was in a bar in the southern US of A it's probably exactly what I'd want to hear. Most of the time I'm not, though. 2.5 stars.

Never heard of these Soft Boys before, but they made a good first impression. A bit like an 70s/80s Supergrass. Big points for the batshit lyrics, and decent blend of singalong-ability & post-punky experimentation. 3.5.

Harmless toe-tappin' fun. If there was a prize for 'earliest mention of the album title within the album', this would win.

The covers are fun, but what I really enjoyed was the second half. This isn't something I'd usually say, but if the 13 minute jam (Sagar) had been the whole album I would've given it 4 stars. I felt like I had a little trip to another world, and that was just sitting at my desk in the office...

I usually like Brazilian music but really struggled to connect with this for some reason. The beats got more interesting and inventive as the album went on, so it *just about* scrapes a second star.

Enjoyed this more the second time after reading up a on a bit of context. Certain songs 'hit harder', as the kids says. I'm now willing to give this a hefty promotion to a 3.5. I reckon there's probably a better Neil Young album out there, though.

Very enjoyable New Orleans grooves that hook you in instantly. The more raucous they are the better IMO, for that street parade kinda feel. Can't work out if I've heard Blueberry Hill before but it's got the feel of a timeless classic to it. A genre I wouldn't choose to listen to very often, but when I do maybe this'll be my go-to album. 3.5.

It's fine. Think I've got a bit of 70s guitar album fatigue at the moment though - couldn't really get excited by anything on here except Another Girl, Another Planet, which might earn it a 2.5.

This is tricky, because I have huge respect for any band that can cram 28 tracks into 33 minutes. I'm also convinced that Napalm Death have absolutely nailed whatever the hell it was they were trying to achieve here. Plus, I had a smile on my face throughout most of it, *particularly* enjoying You Suffer. Would probably be a great live experience, until my eardrums exploded. But then again, there aren't really even any decent riffs. Ultimately, it's a 1.5, or '1' for short. If not now, when...?!

So the Sex Pistols manager made an album that sounds like it inspired Eminem, Paul Simon, Pixies, The Avalanches and more. Wild. Even the 'radio show' format has been used a lot since. Some of it's genuinely enjoyable, the rest is at least interesting as an experiment. A nice discovery.

Like a jazzier Thin Lizzy. Sometimes the groovy noodling got a bit tiresome and aimless, although there are some strong vocal hooks that stuck in my head too. When King of the World finished Spotify played it again, and I let it. That speaks poorly of Spotify's algorithms but highly of the track, I think. I never reached ecstasy, but to be fair this album only ever promised a countdown. The pressure's on the next album to provide it though.

This was supposed to be the ecstasy after the countdown... :-/ The move to shorter, more focused songs without the flab was nice, and I liked the earthy, old-timey vibes of East St Louis Toodle-Oo, With a Gun, Charlie Freak etc. But the more traditional song-writing does mean this album doesn't stand out from the pack as much as the previous one did, for better or worse. I'll give it 3 stars anyway because I do like the album title.

Apparently it changed rock'n'roll forever, but it's all covers... Pleasant enough to listen to though. Fella's got a good voice. I give it a treasonous 2.5 stars.

Some of the tracks feature a particular brand of generic 80s production that depresses the hell out of me and I instantly thought we were in 1 star territory. But I listened again and realised that was a bit harsh. The songwriting seems pretty strong and there's more going on than I gave it credit for at first. Faron Young and Goodbye Lucille #1 are good choons. 2.5 stars.

So. Very. Proggy. One day isn't really enough to get my head around this, there's so much to unpack. On paper it could easily be terrible but I think I actually quite like it. It's ambitious and cinematic and quirky, and there are sections of music I really got into for a moment... before the album took yet another left-turn into a 4 minute instrumental bridge or folk interlude. Also, shout-out to Philip Collins for the best drumming performance on the list so far.

First and foremost, it's great to see Nelly Furtado make an appearance on this list. I enjoyed the album, especially the more 'bandy' tracks like The Seed, but the variety was welcome too. The jazzy weirdness of Something In The Way Of Things sounds like something Kendrick Lamar would do these days (yeah that's right, I'm a hip-hop expert). A solid 3 or even 3.5.

Is this only because I haven't given a 4 star review in ages? Probably. But I'm sick of giving 3s and 3.5s. A solid collection of pop'n'rock'n'rollers with catchy melodies, enthusiastically sung. And some days that's enough, y'know? The generator spitting out 'Welcome To The Working Week' on a Monday morning was a lovely touch.

I don’t know where these vampires came from, but I sure do like their vampire music. 3.5

Always a pleasure to listen to this. The generator will have to get up pretty early in the morning to find a better opener/closer combo than Five Years and Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide. And then there’s Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Starman… Let all the children boogie, I say.

Hmmm. At first I thought this group was gonna sound like an early Bloodhound Gang, but then it seemed like they were trying to make the album Napalm Death were about to make that same year. They bottled it though, by including a couple of actual tunes and a bit of musicality. I listened to some of their later stuff and it's a LOT more accessible - a little like an early Bloodhound gang...

It was quite hard to take this seriously at first as it sounds exactly like a Look Around You parody of early rap. I’ll all for a positive message but the song about wanting to meet Stevie Wonder is a bit… odd? By the time it reached the title track though (and some of the expanded edition extras) it seemed like Flash had figured out the genre and laid a bit of a blueprint for socially conscious rappers of the future. Includes some probably-very-influential hip-hop production too.

I gave Spiritualized a quick go a few years back and remember the songs being spacey and dreamy but forgot how noisy they are too. I guess to build these giant soundscapes and moods you're gonna sacrifice a bit in variation and song structure - which isn't ideal when the album lasts 70 minutes - but there are also times when it really hits the spot. Definitely worthy of a place on the list, I can't think of another album that combines the orchestral elements, band elements and general noise in the same way.

Probably on album I actually appreciate more now than at the time - maybe because of the music they make these days? The hooks are strong and the bass and guitar parts compliment each other nicely. Don't Panic and Shiver are underrated early singles. There are hints (Everything's Not Lost) of Coldplay becoming *too* bland, and the lyrics too banal, to really enjoy, but in general I don't mind of bit of melodic soft-rock. It's not a masterpiece but it remains one of their better efforts. 3.5. Deal with it.

It's in the same vein as a lot of my favourite music from the past decade so no surprise I enjoyed this too. I'm not sure it's necessarily better or more important than other similar albums that probably aren't on this list though. 3.5.

I love the really classic western songs like Big Iron and The Master's Call, and the fact that Robbins wrote these is a bonus. Even the more pedestrian, country style tunes are carried by good storytelling, strong lead vocals and nice harmonies. My favourite 50s album so far!

I like Elvis' music, but I think he's more of a singles guy... I preferred the mix of styles on this one to the debut but it's another 2.5.

Iconic title track, but most of the others are a bit generic. Reliable, grizzled, up-tempo hard-rock that's fun for a while but very samey.

Maybe a little generous but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Fascist Groove Thang is great and although it lost me around tracks 3-4, the likes of Let's All Make A Bomb and The Height of the Fighting hooked me back in. It's very 80s in some ways but also still manages to sound futuristic to me.

Couple o' nice grooves, but it mainly sounds like some folks jamming/fooling around in the studio. Which is fine, though I wouldn't say it makes for a 'great' album.

Never really listened to Marilyn Manson before - probably too creeped out. Maybe if I'd got past that as an impressionable teen I would've really bought into the whole package, image & disturbing lyrics and all, but that ship has long sailed. Having said that, strip away the shock and the music's pretty good. Some angsty heavy rock anthems but also a few surprising left-turns and inventive sounds (thanks Trent Reznor, I guess?) 3.5

Got the feeling from listening to this (then reading about it) that this is a good rather than a great Public Enemy album. The very 90s production is a bit relentless - makes it hard to pick any standouts after the first couple of listens. Also, some of Chuck D's verses seem to go on for about 3 minutes... which is impressive, but again, a lot to take in in one day.

Fairly standard MOR rockers, some better than others. 'Legs' is a nice change of direction, and I'm fascinated by the fact they stopped thinking about sex for just long enough to write a song about TV dinners.

There’s nothing as good as Teenage Kicks on here, or anything that stands out as a ‘must hear’. It’s not bad though. Most memorable moment: “He thinks that I'm a cabbage / 'cause I hate University Challenge”

It deserves to be on this list as it’s a pretty unique sound, even now. The spidery guitars and unnerving vocals make it all very tense and atmospheric. But do the spoken vocals really need to be so quiet?? It takes physical effort to hear what’s being said, which is annoying. 2.5 stars.

Ah, childhood memories. I've got so much time for Supergrass, especially the first two albums. It's always catchy but also at times heavy, quirky, sophisticated, and most of all a lot of fun. A band who really knows the power of a good chord change. The guitar solo on Late In The Day is an all-time favourite - always makes me smile/shiver. 4.5, but I'm rounding up this time (nostalgia bias innit).

Fleet Foxes are a band I think I should like but have never really managed to get into, aside from a few songs here and there. It's clearly a cohesive debut album and nice enough, but I found it pretty bland and not very memorable. Maybe it would reward further listens? 2.5.

I didn't properly appreciate Nine Inch Nails until a few years ago but I now think they/he are excellent. The sound design is always first rate. There's a lot of noise but that's usually underpinned by a strong groove or melody. Definitely music to get lost in. And obviously it's bleak AF, so there's points for that... I'll give it a 4 or 4.5. I don't think it maintains the same quality over the whole 65 minutes, but then it isn't easy to match classics like Closer and Hurt.

More smooth 'n' soulful that I was expecting. Not entiiiiirely my cup of tea but it's got a kind of classic feel about it. Is Glad Tidings supposed to sound so much like Brown Eyed Girl...?

Starts strongly - I think Gimme Shelter is probably the Stones' best track. Then it goes kinda country for quite a while before Monkey Man ushers in a strong ending. I enjoyed it, but not sure what sets it apart as an all-time classic. Maybe the album art? 3.5

Not familiar with this one. It seems to be in the same style as Disintegration (long, dense, brooding tracks that don't offer a lot of variety but are big on atmosphere), though not quite as good. File under 'need to be in the right mood to get the most out of it.'

Hearing a couple of these tracks on an 80s movie soundtrack or in a karaoke bar is all very well and good. A whole hour of them is a bit much though. 2.5

Urgh. I'm never sure how to rate live albums. There are a handful of top-tier Thin Lizzy bangers on here that deserve recognition. The transition from Cowboy Song to TBAIT is *chef's kiss*. Then there are half a dozen tracks that are kinda forgettable (though I prefer listening to this band's 'forgettable' over most 70s rock bands' 'forgettable'). I gave Live at Leeds 3.5 and I think I enjoyed this more. However, it's not all recorded at one show (and apparently there's some debate about how live it is in the first place), so that spoils the experience a bit for me. Another 3.5 it is then.

I know Billy Bragg a bit but Wilco and Woody Guthrie very little, and I definitely didn't know these albums existed. So this was an interesting little find. I really enjoyed a few tracks (mainly the Bragg compositions). Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key is my highlight.

Very thoughtful of the generator to remind me of my age on my birthday. It's wall-to-wall pop bangers, innit? Over time I have come to first accept, and then welcome, the reign of our new all-powerful country/pop/indie-folk overlord. Some of her other albums lack consistency but most of these tracks sound like hit singles.

There doesn’t seem to be much that’s special or interesting about this (apart from the couple of tracks featuring horns - definitely under-utilised!) so I’m not sure why it’s on the list. That said, I didn’t dislike it in any way; it’s decent for what it is. So that means… 2.5? 3?

I was introduced to this as a child and still listen to it regularly, especially on hot summer days. The lyrics are great and the music is joyous, and it still sounds fresh after all these years. The blend of African and American music was clearly very influential on future artists.

I've always thought there was a disconnect between the Stone Roses' lad-rock following and the kind of music they actually made. I also thought they were largely overrated - just accomplished musicians with a few good tunes and a few dull ones. That may still be true, but I'm happy to concede that this is a strong album. I still think I Wanna Be Adored and I Am The Resurrection are clear stand-outs but the jangly stuff in between has grown on me too.

Nice enough. Can see how the vocal harmonising on songs like Love Hurts would've influenced The Beatles. Though I get the impression that even when this album was released it wasn't particularly groundbreaking.

An album built on a foundation of traditional rock'n'roll, but with added minor chords, pop hooks and rougher edges. Mark these boys as 'ones to watch'.

I've heard big things about The Band but only ever knew The Weight (which is worth a couple of stars on its own). I didn't realise they wrote This Wheel's On Fire too, though I think I prefer the Julie Driscoll version. Also, I listened to In A Station while in a station, which I think is commitment to the art. The musicianship is strong and it's got a rich sound, very evocative of the late 60s. But it doesn't have enough about it to lift it above the 3.5 masses for me.

There's something in the instrumentation that compliments the subject matter perfectly. That autoharp has a ghostly quality about it that makes me thing of old-timey soldiers trudging off to war, and rugged, wintry English countryside. Not every track is a galáctico (The Last Living Rose and On Battleship Hill are my favourites) but as a self-contained album it's more the sum of its parts. 4.5.

I think this still holds up well. A few lines are a bit clunky but that was probably always part of the appeal anyway - Alanis laying her individuality and attitude out there, no effs given. And there are some cracking 90s alt-rock tunes to boot. 4.5, but I'll round up. It's what my sister would want. Also, I've just found out Flea features on this record. Every day's a school day.

I'm a fan of Tom Petty's brand of no-frills heartland rockers, but there aren't too many bangers on here, except for the grand daddy of all Petty bangers at the end. And maybe Breakdown.

Blimey, Aerosmith have been going for ages. This wasn’t half bad actually, entertaining and more varied than I expected. 3.whatever.

I grew up listening to 'The Police - Their Greatest Hits' so I'm well familiar with Every Breath You Take, King of Pain and Wrapped Around Your Finger. These are Good Songs (the first two especially) and put a couple of stars in the bank early doors. But what about the rest of the album? Well, Kent, it's a mixed bag, both in style and quality. Synchronicity I is a good start. Then there's a song about dinosaurs which, it seems, heavily influenced the Dino Dino Jungle soundtrack in Mario Kart. There's some 80s funk stuff, a jazzy number to finish, and 'Mother', which is a real contender for the most mental track the generator has thrown up so far. Andy Summers, you weirdo! Predictable it ain't. But, all in all, not nearly as good as the greatest hits. EDIT: I've listened a couple more times. Now trying to decide if it's actually a work of genius. Well, is it?? 3.5

I know this is usually the LZ album that appears on 'greatest albums' lists, but I didn't realise just how many classics they crammed on here. It's also a good touchpoint for a lot of their different styles: rocky, folky, bluesy, Stairway to Heaven-y. It's not perfect but it's still worth 5 stars.

I wanted/expected to rate this higher but can't quite justify it. For every well-crafted country nugget like Heart of Gold or The Needle and the Damage Done there's a meandering plodder that just doesn't excite me. The closing track is nice though - there's half a great album here...

John Prine was clearly all about the lyrics, and it's evident from a couple of listens to this that even as a young man he was a cut above most other writers. There's empathy and humour and some knockout couplets, plus he tackles more interesting subject matters than your average schmuck. Musically it's very pedestrian though and while that helps to bring out the words, I can't honestly say it's an album I will keep coming back to. A respectful 3 stars.

Apparently this was *the* first album of the whole gloomy, post-punk genre, so kudos (and an extra half a star) for that. Would've preferred if they leant into that weirdness even more though - half of it sounds like plain ol' regular punk. I liked: the hypnotic 5/4 groove of Overground. I disliked: the Helter Skelter cover. Doesn't work imo. 2.5

More musical value than Napalm Death. Less comedy value though.

Underrated band. I prefer the darker sound of Gran Turismo but this is a decent album too. Sweet, smart, sugary Swedish indie-pop goodness, and they've put some effort into the sequencing too which hasn't gone unnoticed by this reviewer.

A smorgasbord of mega choons: Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, and (my personal favourite) Hey Joe. Some definite filler, especially if you include the bonus tracks, but there are extra points for this album's undoubted influence on the history of guitar music. 4/4.5 - that sort of thing.

I have it in my head, rightly or wrongly, that Frank Sinatra was a bit of a douche, but I'll try not to let that cloud my judgement. Pros: His voice is pleasant and I enjoy the big band flourishes. Also, it made me feel appropriately festive despite not being a Christmas album. Cons: Each time I listened I lost interest by about halfway out of sheer sameyness. And as with Elvis, I just can't bring myself to score an album of covers very highly. Plus, I think Sinatra might've been a bit of a douche? 2.5

So there IS a studio version of No Woman No Cry! I do like a bit of Bob. This particular album didn't do that much for me at first, though I got into the groove a little more with each listen. Might revisit one day.

I really, really don't get along with this type of music. I won't give it one star because 'Sweet Love' is a good song and because objectively it's probably not that bad... it's a close-run thing though.

Incredible that in the same year as Bowie's Blackstar another legendary artist released an album days before his death, apparently in the knowledge that it would be his last, and delivered it with such poise. Both the darker and the more soulful numbers therefore come with added gravitas, (helped by Cohen's badass old man voice ofc), and his gift for dispensing great wisdom in pithy phrases is evident throughout. 'As he died to make men holy, let us die to make things cheap'. Yep. 4.5

When I was a lad, and failed presidential candidate West was just a rapper and producer, I bought the Twista album which also had Slow Jamz on it. That album is rightfully nowhere near this list, and I probably should've bought this one instead - it's much better. Plenty of good tracks that seamlessly skip between styles and themes. The album goes on too long, but as it's Christmas week I'll still give it 4 festive stars.

I was with friends in a Wetherspoons in Bristol when a large, middle-aged man with earphones in came and sat next to me at our table, uninvited. After a few uncomfortable minutes I asked him what he was listening to. He leaned over and said 'We Are The Pigs', before sticking one of the earphones in my ear. That was my first introduction to this album, I guess. Anyway... I used to mistrust Suede for no particular reason, before getting into them in my mid-20s. This album isn't their most britpop-y or accessible - it's darker and more cinematic. 'Stately', I'd say. I like the abrasive guitars of WATP and This Hollywood Life, and the melodic The Wild Ones. Stay Together is the best of the bunch though I don't think it's technically part of the album... Actually I like most of it, but I can see that it's a bit overblown and does drag somewhat, especially towards the end.

SHOCKED to discover there's a Pixies song longer than 5 minutes. It's an entertaining listen for sure, but I wouldn't say an essential one. After releasing Doolittle the previous year it feels like they might've phoned this one in juuuust a little. 3.5.

More sitar-y than that album that was entirely sitar, somehow. Had high hopes as Donovan created some of the grooviest tracks of the swinging 60s; bit disappointed he didn't tap into those vibes for the whole album. Too much of a free spirit, I guess. 2.5

I'm starting to have doubts that the generator is as random as it says it is... I ain't gonna be no Scrooge McDuck about this album, it's good old-fashioned festive fun for all the family. A few of these recordings still seem to be the definitive versions that get played nowadays.

First few tracks seemed a bit meh. Then 8 and half minutes into the title track I realised that actually something a bit out of the ordinary was going on, and enjoyed the rest of the album from that point. I can believe that in 1977 this was a bit of a game-changer for guitar music.

Always liked Simon & Garfunkel but was still surprised by how much I enjoyed this, given they have other, better regarded albums. Good melodies, good harmonies, good lyrics. More up-tempo stuff than I expected. Traditional folk but still buzzing with creativity. Feelin' Groovy is a childhood favourite of mine. A very pleasant way to spend 28 minutes.

Bit of fun innit - something a little different. Some infectious grooves and I find the accent quite endearing.

Another hair metal album that treads the fine line between enjoyable and crap. It's My Life is my Bon Jovi guilty pleasure of choice but You Give Love A Bad Name is a close second. 2.5 / 3

More mellow than the Aphex Twin I thought I (vaguely) knew. Inoffensive, and some of it's very pretty (Xtal & Heliosphan stood out), but I can only really imagine playing the whole album again as background music. If it came out today (and it sounds like it could've done) it'd be a 2, but 30 years ago it must've been pretty revolutionary, so am considering a 3 for impact. Let's say 2.5.

I like the two biggest singles, I like the album name/art, and I like that Neil Finn was in Flight of the Conchords, so I was ready to enjoy this, but the album as a whole didn't do much for me. It's well-crafted soft rock but lacks a bit of edge. 2.5 / 3

This album was once recommended to me by a friend with good music taste, but I either didn't listen or just couldn't get into it (sorry James). Let's try again, shall we? The Manics have some great hit singles but none of them are on this album... after 3 listens I still can't replay any of the songs in my head, which speaks to a lack of hooks. Still, I like the energy and the industrial/grungy feel to the guitar work, and I enjoyed the music more and more with each listen. Haven't properly delved into the lyrics which are supposedly the strongest part of the album (they're not easy to make out, to be fair), but I am at least starting to understand the hype now.

A thought I had: The Flaming Lips make music for children. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, or that you need to be a child to enjoy it, but the squelchy bass, pretty soundscapes and gentle/surreal lyrics sound tailor-made for kids (maybe that's psychedelic music in general to some extent, but this band in particular). At first you think they're being ironic somehow but they're not, and I guess that's part of the appeal. Anyway, it's another record I wanted to love but ended up just liking. It's less of a concept album than I expected, and more instrumental. Do You Realize?? and Yoshimi pt.1 are great. The rest sounds lush and dreamy but the songs aren't as strong. 3.5.

Look, it's Dylan! And he's gone electric! This felt a bit like Let It Bleed - a classic 60s album with an absolute all-time worldie first up, another big hitter at the end, and a lot of ordinary stuff in between. But actually I reckon there's more killer than filler here. Ballad of a Thin Man is a welcome change of pace, and the title track is fun (I like the extended gap after 'Let me think for a minute son...'). Plus it's always engaging to listen to a Nobel Prize winner spit his verses. Even when I don't know what he's talking about, Bob sounds like he does, at least. As with the Stones, I hope the generator can show me a better Dylan album. But if this is the best, that's still pretty good. I will re-revist this highway in future.

Absolutely zero prior knowledge of this group or album, so I got to go in with no preconceptions whatsoever. What a treat. I could mark it down for being a bit long or cheesy or God-y, but it's too damn joyous and too damn catchy. Didn't expect to be grooving along to a track called Fishin' 4 Religion today, but here we are. 3.5 (includes a discovery bonus of half a star).

Fell In Love With a Girl is a rare song that I'd always listen to whenever it came on shuffle. It's a lovely booster shot of adrenaline to complement all moods. And also too short to bother skipping. Speaking of which, Little Room is ace too. Dunno if it's just the limitations of a 2-piece band but listening to this I noticed l that Jack White reuses a lot of stuff. Like, there are really specific guitar parts that appear again in later songs. Can't say it ruined my enjoyment though. Feels like there's some filler between the gems but it's good filler, you know?

Will this be the album where I finally get the hype around The Rolling Stones...?? Nope. 18 tracks and none of them really excited me. Shine a Light at a push. It's all fine, if you fancy an hour of competent bluesy rock & roll, but 'competent' alone will only get you 2.5 stars, tops.

Band name and album art were vaguely familiar but the music was all new to me. Funky fresh, inventive blend of electric, acoustic, orchestral, world music etc. Really picked up momentum at track 4 - would've enjoyed more tracks with the female vocalists. Less exciting second time round once the thrill of the new had worn off, but I still appreciate the creativity.

A few good moments from the self-styled 'Morpheus in this hip-hop matrix' - he seems like an engaging lyricist (and so does his dad, actually). But overall I found it a bit of a slog to get through. The production was too one-paced and muzak-y for my liking.

Enjoyed this more than many of the 70s/80s rock albums we've had so far. It's got a kind of wide-eyed, dreamy quality that I quite like - probably because of some sweet harmonies and chord changes. And crucially, at 37 minutes, it doesn't outstay its welcome. 3.5.

It's nice to put a sound to an iconic name of the big band / jazz world. Not my usual genre but I quite enjoyed it, especially the tracks where the bass skips along at a good pace. It all sounds very neatly put together. I'm a fan of the album cover and the cute track names too.

One of those influential bands I keep reading about but I've not heard much of their work. Whenever I do, I'm always surprised it's not some heavy gothic rock music... I don't think it's really for me. Some nice foot-tapping bits but 'nice' is about as far as it goes - I found it fairly bland. Supposedly they meld lots of disparate genres but maybe the whole is less than the sum of its parts?

'Honey' is decent off-kilter pop, but after that it was as I feared - schmaltzy ballads and aimless R&B. Good voice but boring music that drags on too long. Not irredeemably bad, but In the context of the 1001 most essential albums, for my particular tastes, this is near the bottom. 1.5

Possibly my favourite album. It's hard to describe how it makes me feel without sounding pretentious, so I might as well lean into it... For me, it's like an escape into some time and place that probably never existed (between the click of the light and the start of the dream, you might say). Rustic and intimate yet also epic and ethereal. There's an earnestness to the the lyrics that lends extra power and purpose to the oh-whoa-whoa singalong bits. They come across a bit like they're preaching the views of some cult, but one whose cause I can really get behind. Laika and Power Out bring a chaotic energy, like punk if punk was invented 200 years ago in Central Europe. Tunnels might be the most romantic song I've ever heard, in some strange way. And Rebellion is the best of the lot - that string/vocal melody in the outro is one of my all-time favourite bits of music. Also, I reckon In The Backseat is their underrated masterpiece. Love that portentous guitar chord at 2:25, and the way the track diminishes to just a whisper at the end sounds like being left alone with your thoughts after everyone leaves the party, or life continuing after someone has died. Which is what I believe the song, (and most of the album), is about: life, death, and the struggle to hold onto childhood innocence as you get older. Saw it performed live once but loads of people talked over it. Ah well, it's only music innit.

Enjoyed this a lot - sultry latin vibes for a cold winter's weekend. Whenever it threatened to get a bit samey he'd chuck in a louder or softer number to keep things fresh, or sing in a completely different language just for the hell of it. Earns its fourth star for absolute commitment to the album format - I don't think anything else on the list so far has flowed so seamlessly between tracks.

When I saw the tracklist and didn't recognise anything I wondered if this was their avant-garde concept album or something. Turns out it's more very-European pop that sounds a lot like the ABBA I know, but maybe 5% less kitschy and a bit more mature. Thought I might get bored but I didn't - there are some strong melodic hooks and lush production, as usual. They're masters of their craft, undeniably.

Tunes were good without being special. The blend of genres was kinda interesting though, especially mixing metal-style shredding guitar with more primitive punk. Can hear the influence on a lot of 90s rock bands.

Extended funk jams aren't really my bag. Funk in general is only occasionally my bag, as controversial as that may be. Soulful pop classics like Stand! and Everyday People are more my bag. The album certainly *feels* like a classic and I do like it for the most part. 3.5 seems about fair.

Air deserve to be on this list, but a film score is an odd choice, no? I mean, I can see why they'd be chosen to score a film... Their dreamy/creepy atmospherics sure do sound like they could be in a film... But I haven't seen The Virgin Suicides so I can't know for sure how well these tunes work in that setting. In album form they're kinda interesting but don't seem like a must-hear. I'll give it a middling 2.5/3, BUT my interest has been piqued to go and watch the film ASAP. Once I've done that I reserve the right to adjust my score accordingly...

There are two pretty-much-perfect pop songs on here, which is a great return for any album. In fact I'd say the whole first half is shiny synth-pop gold - the kind that makes me think 'Cor, wouldn't it have been great to grow up in 80s America and hang out at the mall all day...?!' The quality dips a bit towards the end though.

The next two Gorillaz albums are better, but I guess this one's included for cultural significance. When I first heard it I remember being surprised by how many tracks seemed more like sonic experiments than fully formed songs, and I think that's true of the band as a whole at this point: an interesting experiment that would become more well-realised over time. The eclecticism was there from the start, though; I love 5/4, Tomorrow Comes Today & Slow Country for very different reasons. And I reckon Clint Eastwood remains their 'definitive' track - it still sounds fresh today. A fun, quirky listen: 3.5 stars.

I've never heard of this man before, but I'm glad to see he's still alive. There's yodelling and songs about weevils - it's hard not to be at least a little charmed. Plus, the recording is *so* primitive and the chat *so* typically old-timey, it has to be the real deal, right? 2.5

So 'Planet Rock' was just a name, huh? At least 'Go Go Pop' and 'Renegades of Funk' weren't lying to me. Like Grandmaster Flash, this sounds pretty dated now, but the artwork is great, so: 2.5 stars. I hope they find that perfect beat one day.

5 tracks spanning an hour is a big ask for my millennial attention span. Can't doubt the technical proficiency on show (I didn't hear a bum note or missed beat, despite there being many notes and many, many beats), but all that jamming over the same basic grooves gets a bit tiresome. Enjoyed it as background music though. It's another 2.5, but as a drummer myself I'll pay respect to two giants of the drumming world and round up.

This had the feel of an old country singer deciding to embrace the music of the time and making an epic, psychedelia-tinged opus (I had no idea he was part of The Byrds). Pretty good on the whole; the title track and Lady of the North were my highlights.

Middle-period Cohen: masterful songcraft dressed in the tackiest 80s production. I can see why it took a Jeff Buckley to get Hallelujah the credit it deserves. But you know what, I'm charmed. It adds a (deliberate?) layer of absurd humour to the whole thing. And anyway, there are a handful of 24-carat classics on this album (Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Tower of Song etc). Leonard you horny devil, you've done it again.

Weird, John Cale's name came up yesterday. Can't remember why. This had some very nice orchestral chamber pop (is that the term?) moments. I think it's good, but for some reason it didn't truly grab me. Second listen was more enjoyable than the first and third... maybe it requires a specific mood? At the moment: 2.5

I've listened to this maybe once in my life before now so wasn't sure what to expect beyond the hits. Happy to report that the rest of the album is pretty decent - side A is great. Nearly every track could arguably be shorter but overall it's solid stuff. Interesting to read that it got panned on release (though this was partly for sounding the same as previous DS albums, which I'm not in a position to judge... yet. I'm sure the generator will enlighten me in time.)

I've not heard much Joan Baez but this album feels very familiar. The style of singing, the acoustic guitar accompaniment, and even a few of the songs are very much a part of my youth. Joan's voice is better than most of the stuff I grew up with, though, and some of the fingerpicking hits the spot too. When they mesh perfectly it's really enchanting. I'm not above getting a little bored though, particularly in the middle part of the album. I'll relax my 'low marks for all covers' policy a bit as it's sort of the point of the whole folk tradition...

This album surprised me a bit. I didn't expect to hear Noel Redding singing or a skit about aliens, for starters. Then there are some poppier tracks than on the debut, and also some more soulful tunes that clearly inspired John Frusciante etc (Little Wing, Bold as Love - these are the highlights for me). One Rainy Wish was my favourite new discovery. Lush. 3/3.5

I liked it but thought I'd like it more. It might be the height of 90s cool but the songs are inconsistent - all are fine, some are good, only a couple are great. Waking Up is a tune though and I fully endorse the sentiment: not easy, never has been.

It's alright, but I've never really rated The Charlatans - I guess the clue's in the name. They sound like an inferior version of a lot of their contemporaries (Stone Roses, Oasis etc). It's only the piano/organ sounds that really distinguishes them. 2.5

Fun album. Lots of recognisable samples and carefree, laid back vibes. 90s hip-hop can be a bit of a time capsule but this feels like it's aged well, and I'm intrigued to listen to the follow-up someday. It has put me right off my ham and eggs though. 3.5.

Poor Merle sounds a little...... haggard. Dunno what he was so heartbroken about, he'd just married Buck Owens' ex-wife! Generatorland is a small world indeed.

This is how I like my blues: loud 'n' raucous (Mannish Boy is Exhibit A). Can't've been revolutionary in '77 but it sounds like a real fine example of the genre nonetheless. Held my attention pretty well throughout the duration. 3.5.

Queen are an incredible singles band but I'd heard that their albums weren't up to much, so I was surprised to see a record featuring none of the mega-hits make the list. Quite interesting. All the ingredients of the classic Queen sound are there, but it also seems like they were considering becoming a fantasy-prog-metal band instead.

The sexiest commute to work I've ever had.

Thought this would be an easy 2 stars after a slow start, but I actually quite enjoyed it by the end. Not revolutionary, but some good tunes. It bridges the gap in time between The Smiths and 90s indie (like James maybe?). Kept expecting them to break into Breakfast at Tiffany's though... Very aware that I've just given a Marvin Gaye album 3 stars and this seems a lot further from greatness than that, so... a strong 2.5.

I don't consider myself a Jay-Z fan, particularly, but I thought this was decent. Could definitely hear the Kanye influence on production after I read about that. Lyrically it's the usual braggadocio etc which doesn't do much for me, but as far as that brand of rap goes, he's pretty good at it. Takeover is a great diss track. 3.5

This came out a year or two before I properly started following indie music so I can't verify exactly how huge its influence was, but I'm willing to believe it was pretty big - its presence certainly loomed large in my school & uni years. The languid Is This It and the sprightly Someday are my two highlights, though listening back now there are a few forgettable tracks that I can *ahem* 'take or leave'. The difference in quality between this and their later albums isn't as great as common opinion says, IMO. Still, it's worth at least 4 stars.

Nice to become acquainted with another of those hipster bands listed in that LCD Soundsystem song. It sounds years ahead of its time and I found the frontman really engaging. Fun lyrics and some decent tunes too. Downgraded slightly after the second listen as I realised only a few tracks (Pablo Picasso, Hospital, I'm Straight, maybe a couple of others) had properly grabbed me.

Enough decent grooves to get my head bopping along on a sunny day and enough individuality/invention to justify its place on the list, but probably not enough of either to compel me to come back to this. Pleasant background music: 2.5

More Siouxsie! Twosie. Sounds like they've refined their sound since The Scream - more melodies and more guitar effects. More to like, basically. Into The Light is great and Monitor is a decent rocker. It does descend back into tuneless noise again towards the end though.

Enjoyable trip-hop, though lacking the really killer tracks that other bands of that genre & era produced. A good education though; I was never really sure what the relationship between Tricky and Massive Attack was but I think I've cracked it now. Also, Martina Topley-Bird nearly never recorded with MA, but was basically Tricky's lead singer, which I certainly did not know. Learning every day.

Preferred the organ-heavy bits over the more 'traditional', sax-led jazz bits. They made me feel like I was in some dreamy, low-jeopardy spy film scenario. But (with the obvious caveat that I'm no expert in the genre)... most of it kinda sounded the same to me. It's the usual drill: an enjoyable diversion for a while but I probably wouldn't go back to it. A neutral 2.5.

Two stars for Jamming, which reminds me both of The Simpsons and my one trip to the Caribbean as a kid, where Bob Marley still seemed to be the most played artist, 20 years after his death. One star for the ultimate feel-good good feelings of Three Little Birds and One Love / People Get Ready. Another star for the darker, more purposeful grooves of Natural Mystic, The Heathen and Exodus. Half a star for the total disregard of grammar on 'So Much Things To Say'. That's 4.5. And I'll round up because Bob was a Spurs fan.

Was expecting some straightforward noise punk, but was pleasantly surprised by the creativity on show. It's got a bouncy, mildly chaotic energy about it that I like, and it sounds like it could've been released in the 00s. 3.5

Liked a couple of tracks but struggling to see why this album made the list. Mostly pretty standard rock; not as interesting as Toys In The Attic.

It's somewhere between Joy Division's mechanical gloom and The B-52's' quirky yelping. Admittedly that sounds like quite an eclectic mix, but having heard quite a few albums of this era now I'd say other groups seemed to be doing similar kinds of things at around the same time, but slightly better. The title track was my favourite. 2.5

Contains some good stuff, but I don't think an album of swing standards/crooner ballads is the best use of Ray Charles. Some of his other songs show off his voice better, and have a more distinctive musical style too. Feels like you could sub in a Sinatra or whoever onto this record and the result would be pretty similar. 2.5

Enjoyed this. A great voice and some very decent songs to match. Even snuck a 2Pac cover in there. By most accounts it's not his greatest album, which bodes well for some of the others. 3.5

Probably my favourite soul album so far. The music has a lightness of touch that feels so chilled and organic. Old Time Lovin’… *swoon*

I think this was my first time listening to New York Dolls, though the name was very familiar. Fun, boisterous glam-punk that kept me entertained. Was about to add something like 'decent but nothing revolutionary', but then I realised that it almost certainly was, at the time.

While I am impressed that she fit so many Missy Elliott exclusives on there, I didn't love the album. I did quite enjoy Slide, Funky Fresh Dressed, Back in the Day and Work It, and also the monologues. Bit of a tearjerker when she addressed the haters with 'you may not think I'm a real hip hop artist...' I DO think you're a real hip hop artist, Missy!! But I'm still giving Under Construction 2.5 stars.

After Florian Schneider died a couple of years back I explored Kraftwerk's catalogue and a bit and became quite fond of them. They clearly influenced loads of artists (how did I not notice the Daft Punk resemblance until now?) but their particular retro-futuristic quirks still sound unique. This being their seventh album means it can't have been as revolutionary as the earlier stuff, but it's more refined, contains a few of their biggest hits, and still sounds way ahead of its time.

I had this pegged as the metal connoisseur's Metallica album of choice, whereas I'm more of a casual Black Album / 'greatest hits' kinda guy. I enjoyed this more than expected though; I thought it'd be mostly thrashy stuff but there's plenty of variety. Orion is a great case in point. A strong 3.5 from me.

The Eminem Show was the album that got me into rap as an impressionable pre-teen, so I may be biased, but I still think that's the more consistent, better album and it's crazy that it hasn't made this list. Anyway, this one is close behind. He switches between so many voices (literally and figuratively) so effortlessly - the biggest singles (Stan, The Real Slim Shady, The Way I Am) sum up Eminem's depth, humour and anger respectively, and they all work equally well. There are undoubtedly lyrics on here that are genuinely problematic, but there are also a lot that aren't - they're cartoonishly OTT or satirical or playful -and that's why he gets away with the whole package, in my opinion. Every topic is pushed to its limits, but it's not *just* designed to shock - there's a lot of truth spoken too. So the lines between sincerity and facetiousness are blurred, which just makes the whole schtick (or is it...?!) very compelling. 4.5

Charming little villages of sound.

Apparently very influential in the Satan-bothering metal scene. Not sure if that's really something that deserves respect though. Didn't hate it but it all feels a bit route one, and the production sounds less 'unpolished' and more 'unfinished'.

Didn't realise The Stooges were active in the sixties; maybe for its time this was quite fresh and interesting. Today, the cool, scuzzy vibes aren't really enough to make up for the lack of actual songs - most of 'em just sound like basic jams. And I'm an Iggy fan.

I'm a bit indifferent to GNR and their particular brand of cock rock, but most of their biggest (and I'd argue all of their best) tunes are on this album. The album tracks are more killer than filler, too - just about. A slightly overly long time, but a good time.

Wasn't sure how enthused I'd be about a Stranglers album without Golden Brown on it but I thought this was very good. The emphasis on organ and bass add so much to the standard punk sound, and there are hooks aplenty. 3.5, but I'm feeling more generous these days so I'll round up to a 'IV'.

Slightly less heavy and a fair bit more punky than expected (I think the vocal style contributes heavily to both these things), but otherwise it's pretty standard metal. It's fine while I'm listening to it but I struggle to remember it at all afterwards.

Flips between chilled, goofy old school hip-hop and 90s gangster rap so the guy's definitely got range, but none of the styles did that much for me. Bonus points awarded for that track where he shoehorns in all the cereal brands. 2.5

I was pleasantly surprised by this. Guitar and vocals are very melodic and it doesn't feel like there's too much flab on the album - it's just a lot of fun. Iron Maiden might have a new admirer. 3.5 / 4

Superstition is an absolute powerhouse of a track, and its squelchier, weirder cousin Maybe Your Baby is pretty great too (are they pitch-shifted vocals I can hear, before they were cool...?!) There are a few other neat bits and pieces but a lot of it is too saccharine for my tastes.

My first time giving this a spin, and I mostly enjoyed it. The first few tracks are nice and theatrical and set the scene well - much like the start of a musical, which I guess this pretty much is (didn't realise See Me, Feel Me was originally more of a recurring theme than it's own track - another musical theatre trope?) I like the really short tracks (they help a lot with plot exposition) and always have respect for ambitious concept albums, especially groundbreaking ones like this. I'm not sure the individual parts are strong enough to keep me coming back to listen to the whole, though, especially when it's so long. 3.5

I remember this being praised when it was released but never gave it a listen. Earnest old-timey crooning (with a slightly modern sheen) that clearly influenced Alex Turner. Might be a bit top heavy? Either the best tracks are in the first half, or I just got a little weary of it towards the end. Or both.

I can tell it's 'good'; the musical style is rich and exotic and self-assured, Joni's lyrics are always worth listening to, and I'm sure it would reward repeated listens (especially while road-tripping across America). But a chorus or a hook once in a while couldn't hurt, right?

Pretty sure I played some Coltrane when I was learning the saxophone, but nothing as frenetic or technically impressive as this. I kinda like it but it doesn’t move me on an emotional level. It’s getting the token neutral jazz score of 2.5.

This layman’s opinion on Beach House was that they have a great, unique (and therefore list-worthy) sound, but not necessarily many great tunes to match it. Did this album change my mind? Maybe not, but on this particular day its dreamy vibes proved to be the perfect soundtrack to my walk. I’ll give it a hearty 3.5 stars.

Not listened to these chaps before but fair play, it sounds like the 90s alright. I guess the manic, discordant tracks are more ‘interesting’ but the tracks with a bit of melody, like Homemade, are more enjoyable. 2.5

Yusss. It can take a while to ‘get’ Randy Newman or take him seriously, but once it clicks it’s worth it. There’s humour. There’s satire. There are piercing home truths and humdrum observations side-by-side. There’s a blend of orchestral/New-Orleans-y ragtime pop that you don’t really get from anyone else. I think what I like most is that while his default position might be mockery, I reckon there’s plenty of affection and sincerity too. There are enough classics here to guarantee a 4. Does the rest of the album push it into genuine 5-star territory? I’m not sure; but as a devout Randy fan there was always going to be some rounding up involved. Wish he’d stop cancelling gigs I’m supposed to go to though.

Kinda fun voice recordings & kinda interesting beats. But it definitely falls under ‘nice background music’ for me, rather than an album I’d choose to listen to all the way through.

There’s something for everyone here really, isn’t there? Personal shout-outs to Never Going Back Again and the bass part in the chorus to Go Your Own Way. Also, I’ve just realised: swap out the vocals and Dreams is basically a War on Drugs song…

Expected to give this a 2 to balance all the stars I’ll be dishing out to the later Beatles albums, but it started so strongly. Listening to the energy of It Won’t Be Long gives me a taste of what Beatlemania must’ve been like for a 60s schoolgirl. The Beatles did this kind of music better than most of their contemporaries, I reckon. Buuut there are a few duds (Little Child…) and the covers don’t add anything for me. 2.5 / 3

This is The Who doing what they do best, for me: big, epic, well-produced rockers with meaty guitars - and, as it happens, two of the best sequenced synth intros of all time. Speaking of which, I once woke up to Won’t Get Fooled Again, and would highly recommend it. Beyond the hitz, the supporting cast is fairly decent - the likes of Bargain and Going Mobile are strong album tracks. I can’t decide whether they’re strong enough to justify giving the whole album 5 stars, but I’m feeling generous so I’ll score it 4.5, rounded up.

I’ll all for spaciness but these songs don’t go anywhere. Was probably a great record to trip to during the second summer of love...

Great work, generator. Not only is this the perfect soundtrack for while I’m in Africa (not Mali, but still); I also listened to it just the other day. I’ll happily listen to it again though. The seductive grooves, guitar riffs and group vocals are a delight. A very enjoyable and evocative listen, even if I can’t understand the words.

Similar to the last Elvis Costello album, it doesn't feel like there's anything particularly unusual going on, just good solid songs. I'm definitely more of a fan of his thanks to the generator. The first and last few songs are really strong (the version of Peace, Love & Understanding being the highlight) but there's some more average stuff in the middle. 3.5

Talking Book came up recently so let's see how Stevie's sound has progressed in the 3 weeks / 9 months since then... Ooh it's good news! There's nothing as iconic as Superstition but the schmaltz has pretty much gone, replaced by experimental funk. Example: a track called 'Golden Lady' seemed like a prime candidate for schmaltziness, but turned out to be an absolute banger. I love the infinite key changes. The lyrics in the chorus to Higher Ground are much easier to understand than the RHCP version, too. Good stuff. 3.5 / 4.

Apparently this is pioneering but I'm sure by '91 some pretty similar sounding rap had already been released? Shows what I know, I guess. I like it in small doses but the relentless one-bar loops on every track start to grate pretty quickly - it could use more differentiation. 2.5

Love this one. There are actually more killer tracks than I remember (Thinking Bout You, Lost & Super Rich Kids are my top 3, but there are 8 or 9 very decent songs here). Even the weaker or interlude-y tracks contribute to the bigger picture though. There's this kinda modern, minimal, slightly spacey thing going on that takes me to some specific place and time it's hard to describe (probably southern California, near future; somewhere affluent and hi-tech but slightly unsettling nonetheless?) 4.5

I'd never heard of Gene Clark a few months ago and now I've heard two of his albums. I preferred 'No Other' to this one - it's pleasant enough and soothing to listen to after a long day, but largely unremarkable. Can't really see why it's list-worthy. 2.5

Only heard good things about Janelle Monáe so I expected this to be decent, but didn't expect to enjoy it so much personally. I thought it might be more straight up funk/soul but there's a smorgasbord of styles and a good mix of invention & bangers. Suite II in particular is a great ride.

This seems like almost as important a record as Elvis's debut, but unlike that album many of these tracks are self-penned, which is a plus. However, it doesn't have the excitement or star power of an Elvis - it's just nice and inoffensive, in a very stereotypically 50s way. I'm gonna give it 2.5, but I'll round up for influence, and because there are some *extremely* sharp haircuts on the cover.

This is probably the Dylan album I already knew the most tracks off, from various greatest hits compilations, covers and whatnot. Happy memories of many childhood evenings listening to the likes of Just Like a Woman and I Want You while playing Lemmings... I think the lush production and poppier structures of these songs really suits him, and was happy to discover a couple more that fit this mould, like Stuck Inside of Mobile. You could squish this into a 9-10 track single album and it'd be a legit 5 stars - no rounding necessary - but it loses a bit of momentum towards the end. 4.5.

If we continue at the current rate, 18 of the 1001 must-hear albums will be by Aerosmith. Seems excessive. This has got just enough about it to make me understand their continued appeal, even though I still think they're a bit meh. I actually think the best bits are when they go fully OTT (i.e. Love In An Elevator).

In my head The Fall was just Mark E. Smith snarling tunelessly over a punky racket, but it seems I did them a disservice. The music is more interesting and varied than I imagined (in this 90s iteration at least), and there are some funny lyrics, like this one: "I do not like your tone. It has ephemeral whinging aspects."

Not the 'Let It Be' I expected the generator to throw up. It was ok but nothing special. I think it says a lot about the state of rock music in the 80s if this is considered to be one of the decade's best albums.

Like millions of other Nick Cave fans (presumably), my first real taste of The Bad Seeds was hearing O Children on Harry Potter... That might well still be my favourite track on here, but it's got some stiff competition. It's hard to gauge whether there's a thematic concept in each disc or if they're just split on musical lines. Abattoir Blues is the better of the two, with both its loud chaotic bits and loud euphoric bits hitting the spot, but after a couple of listens I believe there's plenty to enjoy on both. The music is very rich but still accessible - much more so than the album title and cover may suggest. Honestly, even as a fan of the artist who was familiar with a few of these tracks I was surprised by how consistently I enjoyed the whole package. 4.5

I wasn't really in the mood for yet another double album today, especially 90 minutes of generic Southern rock by a band whose name sounds like a parody of generic Southern rock bands. But you know what, they kinda won me over. 'Three Great Alabama Icons' was the track that piqued my interest; it's more of a history lesson than a song. From then on I paid more attention to the lyrics, did some research and realised that this is an opera *about* Southern rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd in particular - plus attitudes towards the Deep South etc). After that it became much more engrossing, and it's arguably the most fully realised 'concept album' that's come up so far.

This reminds me of uni / the time just after uni (because I was a little slow on the uptake). Really enjoyable set of bangers that was clearly influenced by Daft Punk etc but brings something new to the table too - and I think that thing is lots of lovely distortion.

So 'Sabu' was a percussionist... that makes sense. The tunes with guitar etc are delightful, but 4/8 tracks of just hypnotic drumming and vocals is a lot, even for me. Probably best experienced live, outdoors, while performing some sort of mystic ritual.

Only heard a few Hole songs before (mainly off Celebrity Skin) but this reinforces my view of them: strong vocals, good grunge-pop sound, consistently solid songs but not many worldies. The first and last tracks were my favourites. 3/3.5

We have a new contender for most 80s sounding album of all time, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. Initially I was wowed by the number of hit singles and thought it had to be at least 4 stars, but then I thought: are the hits on here *really* all that? Bad ain't good. Man in the Mirror isn't the masterpiece I thought it was when I was 10. Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are still fun, and The Way You Make Me Feel holds up fairly well, but there's at least as much filler as killer here.

Scores low on the 'why is it on the list' scale (as far as I can tell it's special because... they're from Finland?) Gains back 2.5 stars for some rather fun and catchy glam rock bops.

At its best, it's so good. That euphoric explosion halfway through In The Flowers, followed by My Girls, is such a strong start. The sugar rush of Brother Sport and the breezy Summertime Clothes are other highlights. But I feel with Animal Collective there are sometimes too many ideas, too much experimentation or just too many sounds that it impedes the songs. The production on some of these tracks turns into a thick noisy sludge at times - maybe I need to invest in some significantly more expensive earphones to unpack it all? 3.5, but the album cover is fascinating me in a big way so I'll round up.

Quite enjoyed this. It seems pretty heavy lyrically, and it packs a punch musically too, but not at the expense of melody or craft. My Curse was an unexpected but welcome left-turn. The lead singer reminds me of a few other rock singers of the era but I can't think who any of them are. Trent Reznor maybe?

Don't think I've heard this group before, despite Deceptacon having >100 million Spotify streams. Initially words like 'pretentious' and 'annoying' came to mind, but then I got over it and now I'm leaning towards 'inventive' and 'fun' instead.

Not too familiar with The Smiths' albums despite knowing dozens of their tracks - including, on this occasion, the excellent Headmaster Ritual, I Want the One I Can't Have and That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (the point's been made to death, but how someone can write lyrics so sympathetic as the latter and turn into such an unsympathetic character himself is baffling...) As for the new discoveries: mostly pretty good. Some good up-tempo numbers on there like Barbarism Begins at Home and Nowhere Fast. It's a good album but lacking something that would elevate it to greatness. 3.5

And there was me thinking that Coltrane album was wild for only having 4 tracks on it. I like the very soundscape-y feel this has, especially track 2. Sometimes dreamy, often slightly mysterious, but never threatening. Pixar-esque.

This album has more of a poppy sheen to it, but notwithstanding that I'm just gonna copy and paste from my review of Live Through This the week before last: 'strong vocals, good grunge-pop sound, consistently solid songs but not many worldies. 3/3.5' Ok, this one does have a worldie on it (the title track). A strong 3.5 then.

The generator’s either getting smarter, or lazier; two days after In A Silent Way it spits out the follow-up. This is in a similar vein, but less peaceful and more chaotic. I like the really out-there sounds (the delay on the trumpet squalls etc in the title track). The bass also does a lot of unheralded work here - simple, hypnotic loops that steadily repeat for minutes on end while the other instruments do whatever the hell they want over the top. Together these parts create a witchy kinda groove that I can really get on board with. The second half of the album loses some of that mystery though (maybe it gets a bit close to conventional jazz or funk for my tastes). Also, it goes on for bloody ages. Still, clearly an impressive and important work. This week has been an interesting education in Miles Davis and his experimental fusion phase.

For the most part this works really well. Metallica make pretty huge, OTT music as it is, so combining that with an orchestra for added action-film epic-ness just makes sense. There's a crucial third element too: the audience. The occasional crowd participation bits actually add to the cinematic scale but also help keep the 'live' feel of the album. The setlist is a good mix of classics, personal favourites (The Memory Remains & Ecstacy of Gold, oh yeaahhh) & new discoveries (No Leaf Clover). There are definitely some more forgettable tracks too, and some of the orchestral arrangements don't really add anything, but I enjoyed this more than the other live albums we've had so my score should probably reflect that.

As a longtime indie/alternative fan it really was about time I finally listened to a full Pavement album. I'd say I was whelmed by it... It's likeable, but I didn't find myself wondering where this band had been all my life, or noticing a seismic influence on today's musical landscape. Got my foot in the door (/on the Pavement, amirite?) now though, so who knows, maybe I'll grow to love 'em.

Not as bleak as I remembered, musically at least (apart from The Eternal, which is pretty bleak in every sense). Atrocity Exhibition is jarring but propelled by a funky drum beat. Isolation is legitimately danceable. Heart and Soul & Twenty Four Hours are ominous as hell but still have an energy and a groove to them - dirges they ain't. I've decided today that this album is a pretty impressive piece of music in its own right, but the tragic context around it only makes it more compelling. Not in the mood for fully immersing myself in the lyrics today but can see how it might be a profoundly unnerving experience. 3.5 / 4

Controversial opinion: the more recent Avalanches albums are a bit better, and contain more good songs. But this album isn't a must-hear because of 'good songs', is it? It earns it's place on the list (and my possibly-slightly-generous star rating) for three good reasons: 1. Sampling isn't impressive. But sampling *on this scale* is, I think, something of an art form. To stitch together a vibrant, hour-long collage of music entirely from samples is pretty unique and remarkable. 2. I always like to reward albums that flow seamlessly, and The Avalanches are exceptional in that respect. I love the way they use filters and foley to make it sound like you're physically moving from one track to the next on a continuous, kaleidoscopic journey. 3. Frontier Psychiatrist. I heard this on the school bus when I was 10 and probably assumed that was just how music was going to be in the 21st century. I still haven't heard anything like it since.

Pleasant, gently psychedelic/inventive, but I don't think it'll live long in the memory.

Can't pretend to know how this fits into the history of reggae, but it seems decent to me. It's clearly got something to say, though personally it mainly evokes BBQs on hot summer days...

As a kid I was a bit of a Jamiroquai fan. I loved tracks like Virtual Insanity and Canned Heat (and still do). However, this debut album is less focused on slinky pop hooks and more on lengthy funk jams. I expect some purists prefer this to their later, more mainstream output but for me it just drags on for far too long. Decent musicianship but not really my bag. 2.5

- First and foremost: fantastic album art - There are several sounds in here that I think of as quintessentially 80s, so this was surely ahead of its time - Flips between quirky tunes that I enjoy (Birdland, The Juggler) and that brand of aimless jazz-funk muzak that does nothing for me - Very 'Mario Kart menu music' 2.5

Ryan Adams & me: a potted history. Stage 1: confusing him with Bryan Adams (this stage lasted quite a while). Stage 2: hearing his cover of Wonderwall and discovering he also had some good tunes of his own. Stage 3: finding out he'd been Me Too-ed and going off him quite a bit. Stage 2 didn't last long enough for me to deep dive into this album before, and Stage 3 has potentially tainted my opinion now, but I reckon I'm judging the music objectively. He's clearly influenced by Dylan & The Band and others, and the paths he treads are all well-trodden... which is fine, but then the songs have to be really strong to justify a high rating, and I don't think they are. There's some good stuff here, but it's mostly in the first third, and there's not enough variation, either within songs or across the album, to keep my interest. I listened to 21 tracks because apparently that's how the album was intended, but I think the label had the right idea in trying to condense it...

More Steely Dan, but still no Do It Again :( Honestly I got very little enjoyment out of this. Had a lot of jazz-rock lately and it continues to bore me more than it impresses me. The sound may be good, but it doesn't *sound* good, y'know? Little snippets of lyrics I caught interested me more than the music. That, and the fact a couple tracks (Josie and Home at Last, I think) had decent choruses, just about earns it two stars.

Another of those that feels like it needs way more than one day to properly digest (I listened to it once before, years ago, but even TWO days isn’t enough time to really know it…) I respect the proggy experimentation; it’s a pretty unique blend of math-rock, emo, latin, helicopter sounds and god knows what else. There are moments when an epic chorus or mighty riff breaks out from the chaos and it sounds very nice indeed. I can’t say that I enjoyed all 67 minutes of it to the same extent, but with more listens maybe that would change. For now: 3.5 stars.

Neil Young's probably over-represented on this list (I suspect we're not nearly done with his albums yet) but there's good stuff on all of them, and this might be my favourite so far, surprisingly. I wasn't expecting much but I didn't dislike any track and some really appealed to me. Revolution Blues is a great, propulsive rocker and the title track is exquisitely despondent. A solid, cohesively world-weary collection. 3.5

One of those late 80s/early 90s alt rock bands I probably would've listened to a lot if I was born 10-15 years earlier, but I wasn't, so I've hardly listened to them at all. I'm a fan of the grungey-but-melodic-at-the same-time aesthetic and really enjoyed this on first listen. But when I gave it another go it had lost some of its lustre. Maybe a bit too basic to enjoy repeatedly? Or just mood-dependent?

Good album. Sympathetic lyrics and a couple of real #choons. I do like funk & soul sometimes! Not sure how it works within the film but the album plays out a bit like a film all by itself, and you can't say that about all soundtracks. 3.5

Not my favourite Blur album but still lots to enjoy, and a key change in direction in their career. On paper this is one of their more stylistically uniform collections - an American-style guitar album without the lavish Britpop arrangements. But the variety of weird sounds and styles Graham Coxon coaxes from his guitar is impressive (see Essex Dogs and Death of a Party for two great examples). There's scuzzy lo-fi blues, punk, melodic balladry, singalong pop and two classic singles in Beetlebum and Song 2. Lovely stuff.

The harmonies are nice, and it's all very neat and tidy, but I just find it hard to love. It sounds a bit sterile to me. Marrakesh Express, Helplessly Hoping and 49 Bye-Byes stood out as tracks I might listen to again. 2.5

A strong comeback album. oh baby is gorgeous, and the run from how do you sleep? to american dream is so good - the way each song builds is peak LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy’s lyrics about the existential regret of getting older on tonite and the title track are exactly the kind of consolation I’m gonna need as the years fly by. The other half of the album has pleasingly twitchy and unsettling undertones but the tunes drag somewhat and lack a bit of variation. 3.5 / 4

6 year old me, just getting into football after initially hating it, played and lost his first ever penalty shootout one evening at Beavers (almost entirely down to Daniel's pathetically statuesque performance in net - cheers Daniel). As the credits rolled on this tragic, so-near-yet-so-far defeat, the melody to Don't Look Back In Anger inexplicably started playing in my head. I didn't know the words, what it was called, or who it was by, but I tried humming it to my mum, who reckoned it might be an old song about flamingoes. Incredibly, when I unwrapped a CD-shaped present on Christmas Day that year, it wasn't the flamingo song but WTSMG. I was finally able to put a name to my glorious failure anthem. But wait! There's that Roll With It song that the kids at school are always trying to sing! I recognise this 'Wonderwall' tune too! And that's the story of my first ever album. It began a love affair with music and losing penalty shootouts that remains to this day.